Method of packaging articles



Oct. 22, 1963 R. A. TE 3,107,465

METHOD OF PACKAGING ARTICLES Filed Dec. 23, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINVENTOR.

RAYMOND A. COTE Kim Oct. 22, 1963 R. A. COTE METHOD OF PACKAGINGARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 23, 1959 FIG-3 INVENTOR. RAYMOND A.COTE United States Patent 3,107,465 METHOD OF PACKAGINGARTICLES RaymondA. Cote, Monroe, La., assignor to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, acorporation of Virginia Filed Dec. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 861,543 1 Claim.(Cl. 53 29) This invention relates to can carriers and in particularrelates to sleeve or wrap around carriers fabricated of paperboardadapted to package beer cans or like articles.

A particular feature of the invention is the provision of a novelcarrier.

A further feature is the provision of a can carrier formed from twohinge panels.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a carrier havinga novel handle structure.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a novelstructure for supporting the handle.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a novel processfor fabricating a carrier from a single sheet of paperboard.

A process embracing certain principles of the present invention maycomprise the steps of slitting and scoring a sheet of paperboard so asto develop a pair of hinged panels, folding the hinged panels about afirst axis into a face-to-face relationship, folding each panel about asecond axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis, to develop acarton structure having open ends, opposed top and bottom walls andopposed side walls, joining corresponding marginal portions of eachpanel to form an internal flange, and forming cut-outs or flaps in eachpanel connected to the flange to provide a rigid handle structure.

A carton structure embracing certain features of the present inventionmay comprise a pair of hinged panels, each said panel having opposed endmargins, said panels being joined along corresponding margins to definean open ended carton having top, bottom, and side walls, said joinedmargins projecting toward the interior of the carton to define a pair ofdividers.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparentfrom the succeeding specification when read in conjunction with theappended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package structure embracing theprinciples of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a paperboard blank from which the carton of thepresent invention can be fabricated;

FIG. 3 is a view of the panels of FIG. 2 folding into a faceato-faceposition;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the panels of FIG. 3 partially foldedinto the final position.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a sheet of paperboardindicated generally by the reference nurneral 10, slit as at 11 and 12,into two panels 13 and 14 joined intermediate the slits along a scoreline 16.

The panels 13 and 14 are formed with score lines 17, 1 8, 19, 20, 21,22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 to facilitate folding and joining the panels todevelop a carton structure in a fashion which will become more apparenthereinafter.

The panels 13 and 14 are also formed with slits 27 and 28, respectively,operative when the carton is in erected condition to receive a portionof an end margin of an article packaged, such as the chime of a beercan, in well fashion.

In addition, the panel 13 is formed with tabs 29, each operative torotate about a hinge 31 effective to develop an opening which receivesand locks mating winged tabs 32 hinged to panel 14 in accordance withcommon practice in the carton art.

The panels 13 and 14 are also formed with handle Patented Oct. 22, 1963p ice flaps 33 and 34 hinged .to their respective panels ralon-g scoreline 18 and 23. The perimeter of each flap, other than the portionthereof defined by the hinge, is separated from the main body of therespective panels except for slight bridges or necks referenced 36 and37 which can be broken readily to permit rotation of each flap to auseful position as shown in FIG. 1.

For purposes of coordinating the language of this speciiication with thelanguage of the claim defining the invention, the marginal regions ofthe panels labelled 38, 39, 41 and 42 are termed end margins and the endmargins 38 and 41 are formed with return bend portions 43 and 44,respectively.

In erecting the carton of the present invention, the panels 13 and 14,in the condition shown in FIG. 2, are folded into a face-to-facerelationship about a first axis YY defined by score line 16 so that theyappear as shown in FIG. 4. The two panels are further fastened togetherby glue applied along the appropriately hatched portions of the endmargins 38 and 41, respectively. Next the return bend portions 43 and 44are folded back along score lines 17 and 22, respectively, as shown inFIG. 1. Subsequently, the panels are folded again about a second axiswhich is generally perpendicular to the first axis identified by theletters Z-Z.

Obviously the panels 13 and 14 break or hinge along the various scorelines 17 through 26 to develop a carton structure as shown in FIG. 1having open ends, opposed side walls 46 and 47 and top and bottom walls48 and 49'.

The winged tabs 32 are brought into interlocking engagement with theopenings developed by the tabs 29 and note that the end margins 39 and42 are brought together to define a divider or a partial partitionstructure separating each row of packaged articles A and B.

As stated previously, the end margins 38 and 41 are joined along thescore line 16 by the glued portions thereof (FIG. 2). Return bendportions 43 and 44 of the end margins 38 and 41 of the panels 13 and 14,respectively, are folded along score lines 17 and 22 to develop a fourply divider projecting inwardly from the top wall 48 of the carton :andseparating the rows of packaged articles A and B. The portions 43' and44 may be glued to their adjacent panel portions if necessary.

Whenever one desires to do so, handle flaps 33 and 34 may be rotated tothe position shown in FIG. 1 by parting the respective bridge or necks36 and 3-7.

Note that the handle structure formed by the flaps 33 and 34, hinged totheir respective panels 13 and 14 along score lines 18 and 23-, isprovided with an exceedingly rigid base for supporting the full lengthof a loaded carton wherein the four ply divider developed by end margins38' and 41 effects a girder-like stress member which resists a bendingmoment exerted by the handle.

Although the disclosed embodiment of the present invention is shown inconnection with a package embracing two rows A and B of beer cans,obviously a variety of groups of articles of metallic, glass or paperstructure may be enclosed and packaged by the carton of the presentinvention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A method of packaging two rows of articles comprising the steps ofproviding at least two panels in back to back relationship wherecorresponding margins of afirst end of said panels are connectedtogether while corresponding margins of an opposite end of said panelsare free and readily separable, inserting the connected margins betweenthe rows of articles top-rovide an upper divider separating the rows ofarticles, separating the free margins of said panels so as to move saidfree margins away from one another, folding the panels around thearticles so 3 that each panel encircles the articles in the rowindividual thereto and thereafter bringing said free margins intointerlocking engagement beneathand between the rows of articles toprovide a lower divider separating the rows of articles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,276,129 Wesselman Mar. 10, 1942 4 Chidsey Jan. 29, 1957 Zastrow May14, 1957 Andre Dec. 31, 1957 Collura Feb. 24, 1959 Back July 28, 1959Curvian Dec. 29, 1959 Andre M31. 1, 1960 Cote Dec. 6, 1960

